A court in Nashik on Saturday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of a key accused in a high-profile workplace harassment case at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), citing the need for custodial interrogation.

Public prosecutor Ajay Misar said the court found the allegations against Nida Khan to be serious and noted that she was among the prime accused in the case. “Her custodial interrogation is necessary,” he told reporters, adding that the detailed order would be uploaded later.

Khan, who had sought pre-arrest bail on grounds including her pregnancy, is currently untraceable, with police teams searching for her across Maharashtra.

The case forms part of a wider investigation into alleged sexual harassment, mental abuse and coercive religious conversion at a TCS unit in Nashik between 2022 and 2026. According to police, multiple complaints by women employees led to the registration of nine First Information Reports, prompting the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT).

Investigators have so far arrested eight individuals, including a female operations manager, in connection with the allegations. The FIRs claim that some employees were subjected to harassment and pressure to adopt specific religious practices, with one accusation stating that women were advised to dress and behave in line with Islamic traditions.

Police sources said the case came to light after a series of complaints from employees, following which authorities conducted a covert inquiry over several weeks to verify the claims. The SIT is now examining the extent of the alleged misconduct as well as possible gaps in internal grievance redressal mechanisms.

The incident has drawn national attention, raising concerns over workplace safety, implementation of the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act, and broader issues of coercion in professional environments.

In response to the developments, TCS has reiterated that it maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment and coercion, stating that it is cooperating with the investigation.

Officials said the probe is ongoing, with further arrests and developments likely as investigators continue to examine evidence and testimonies.

With IANS inputs